


Never Personal

by Jak_the_ATAT



Series: Four Endings for Adler and Bell [2]
Category: Call of Duty (Video Games)
Genre: Adler is a little shit, Bell is a bit psycho, Bell is a man, Guns, Knives, Russell "I taught them everything they know but not everything I know" Adler, Russell Adler's life is a reverse uno, alternative ending, good ending, mentions of Park, regular COD violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:23:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27658796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jak_the_ATAT/pseuds/Jak_the_ATAT
Summary: SPOILERS FOR COLD WARDon't spoil it for yourself if you haven't watched/played it.Summary inside
Series: Four Endings for Adler and Bell [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2032369
Comments: 2
Kudos: 29





	Never Personal

**Author's Note:**

> Summary: Adler took Bell out to watch the ocean. Bell isn't going to fall for Adler's tricks. Not anymore. 
> 
> An alternative to the good ending.

_It was never personal._

_It was never personal._

_That's your cue._

_It was never personal._

* * *

"Arctic air..."

Bell didn't share Adler's dry enthusiasm for the scenery. Scenery couldn't tune out the blaring seagulls and thundering waves begging him to run. 

Not that Adler seemed to care. The CIA agent turned to meet Bell's eyes with a god forbidden tender gaze to try and sell a sense of security. "Clears the head, doesn't it?"

 _'Cut the crap, Adler,'_ Bell thought. _'I know why we're here.'_

In good Adler fashion, Adler did not cut the crap, but instead rumbled on, the harshness of his gruff voice giving way to a tone Bell didn't recognize. Pride. "Bell, you made two extraordinary sacrifices to stop Perseus. One was without your knowledge..."

_'Maybe ask next time instead of torturing me.'_

_"_ _—_ the other, you made that decision on your own accord." Even with his glasses, Adler's faux proud-father expression left Bell's insides churning and his skin crawling. Realization dawned as Bell as he thought about Adler's new tone of voice.

' _He thinks he's going to win.'_

Adler puffed his cigarette. "I just want you to know that this little... thing that's happened with you and me—"

Bell's mind continued to hold him back, but his heart pounded against his chest, fueling adrenaline through his veins. He adjusted his feet ever so slightly, pointing his back foot's toes out and bending his knees slightly. If Adler noticed, he didn't react or he didn't care.

That fucking arrogant American. Bell's internal hissy fit nearly jumpstarted his body to prove Adler wrong.

"—it was always for the greater good." Adler tossed the butt over the cliff, Bell taking a moment to hope that thing landed in the water and not on something that could catch aflame. He swore to never smoke a cigarette again. That burning smell that once addicted his body now repelled it, having become associated with Adler. And Bell was more than willing to ditch Adler from everything in his life, thank you very much.

The CIA agent sighed again, snapping Bell's thoughts right back to him. Adler still wore that fake, peaceful-like smile. "You're a goddamned hero, you know that, kid?"

 _'Tch._ _Like he'd actually be proud for anyone else but himself_.'

"Heroes have to make sacrifices."

_'Pistol or knife... which is better..?'_

"That's why I want to ask you for one more I hope you'll understand." Adler turned so Bell couldn't see his hand. But his bent elbow gave away his intentions. That hand was on the grip.

 _'Knife is better...'_ Bell slipped his knife out of his belt. He saw Adler's eyes glance at it. The cockiness still remained on the American.

"It was never personal."

_"That's your cue." Helen Park pulled Bell aside as he followed Adler for a road trip to the cliff. "It was never personal. On those words, charge him. You'll close that distance between him faster than he can draw. Do not hesitate. Any signs of weakness means your demise." She gripped Bell's shoulder tightly, worry in her eyes. Bell gave her a smile to assure her._

Time slowed down as Adler removed his pistol. Bell launched into his first stride. Second. Third. One arm stayed before his body, colliding with Adler's pistol as it swung towards him. His other arm drove straight into Adler's neck.

The two hit the ground, Adler managing to fire one shot in a useless attempt, missing Bell's head by quite a bit. The bullet went straight into the air. Bell plunged the knife into Adler's chest, thriving off the American's dismayed, priceless expression as he choked, his free hand trying to fight against Bell. 

Every ounce of rage poured through Bell's veins. Every moment he lived with Adler and the crew, trusting them with his life. Trusting them with everything he had, even when he had nothing. The times he spent with Adler. The missions they went on. The praise Adler gave him. The tenderness Adler showed him on the days he didn't feel well, which he later found out happened from Adler overdosing him with LSD in the morning. The innocent-looking tea Adler made him in the evenings only to find out it had a sleeping pill so they could store his body in a van for the night.

All that torture. And Adler still got his way; saving Europe. All because of one little line he said that forced Bell into answering Solovetsky.

_"We've got a job to do."_

Bell drove the knife deeper. _'How's it feel, Adler?_ _How_ _does_ _it feel to finally lose? After all that energy you put into making the perfect_ _little subject_ _.'_

As though Adler heard his thoughts, he stopped fighting. His body wasn't done breathing yet as he was still holding onto Bell's wrist with one hand, refusing to drop the M1911 with his other. Adler's face twisted into one of mortification.

 _'Yeah... that's right...'_ the satisfaction of seeing Adler's face tingled Bell's cheeks and pulled his lips back into a smirk. Adler dropped his pistol and was now just hanging on to Bell's wrist for some unknown reason. _'I win.'_

Then, Adler began to chuckle. Bell's smile fell as he watched the agent become a raging mess of laugher below him. _'What the hell...'_ Even the glasses couldn't hide the maniac that had taken Adler's body. _'Why are you laughing..?'_

Adler choked on his own blood before managing to spit out a few words. "You're wrong." He was back to smirking. As the last of his life left his body, Adler croaked three words that remained rooted in Bell's head for the rest of his life.

"I win, Bell."

The smile didn't leave Adler's lips as his body went limp under Bell's hand.

The bullet came back down and tore into Bell's head.

**Author's Note:**

> Yep, I'm kinda obsessed with this game. Specifically Adler's voice. 
> 
> Bell's thoughts are in his head because for some reason, I decided female Bell, male Bell, and non-binary Bell will all have different personalities.


End file.
